OFF: Great Bassists (was100 Greatest Guitarists)

[PETER WILKINSON]

some observations re 'bass' discussion.....comparison twixt bass and lead
can be turned on its head. bassists actually play a form of lead (drider,
again its a question of definition) in that most lead is single note playing
  Mmmm does this mean lead guitarists are those who could'nt quite hack the
bass???
the bass is also a'lead instrument' in its own right -without it there would
be no dub or drum and bass.
the question of flashy play can be levelled at any instrument, keyboards,
drums, brass........jimmy page remarked in 1970 (i think) that 'i can play
as fast as some the other guys but what does it say?'
After all music is about emotion and the space between notes is just as
important as the notes themselves.


>From: DRider <Farflung at COMCAST.NET>
>Reply-To: BOC/Hawkwind Discussion List <BOC-L at LISTSERV.ISPNETINC.NET>
>To: BOC-L at LISTSERV.ISPNETINC.NET
>Subject: Re: OFF: Great Bassists (was100 Greatest Guitarists)
>Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 09:37:28 -0400
>
>when I was goin to college, I met a guitar major
>he was about halfway through his education
>learning "theory" I guess.....
>he gave me copies of many different scales to learn
>positions etc... (for which I was grateful)
>he could turn the metronome up pretty fast and shred
>the scales along in time
>the first time we jammed, I started a simple blues progression
>thinking that would be common ground to build on
>and that he could definetly take it somewhere
>I was shocked that his playing seemed very flat
>proficient - but - flat
>
>that was my first real life lesson about 'soul'
>
>technically, his ability smoked mine
>but after learning all that theory and technique
>what did he have?
>
>sometimes, the simplest notes and progressions etc...
>make the biggest impression
>and totally blow away all that 'flash'
>
>IMHO, a truly great musician has lots of soul
>that may come out in a flash
>
>Peace,
>
>D
>
>----- Original Message -----
> > <snip interesting observations and opinions>
> >
> > >Personally, I have zero interest in bassists I consider showy/flashy.
>I
> > >can appreciate the virtuosity of Stanley Clarke, Tony Levin, Billy
> > >Sheehan, Jeff Berlin, Victor Wooton, Jaco, and all the other players
>they
> > >drool about on 'The Bottom Line' (renowned bass player email list that
>has
> > >included Berlin [an egotistical asshole], Levin [a super-nice guy], and
> > >Mike Watt [even nicer guy], among its contributors), but their playing
> > >does little to move me, personally
> >
> > I find I have the same response. It all goes back to the question of how
>to
> > define great. Someone who is an astonishing virtuoso and can do things
>with
> > the instrument that almost no-one else can, because of the level of
>their
> > technique, vs. someone who has nowhere near that technical skill but has
>a
> > greater creative/aesthetic sense, which of course is totally subjective
>and
> > in the end means "an aesthetic sense that more closely parallels my own"
>:-)
> >
> > Very few of the virtuoso players like Jaco et al feature in my record
> > collection, because their music tends to leave me rather cold. But I
>can't
> > deny that they are superlative technicians and I'd have to include them
>on
> > a list of great bass players, although they wouldn't be on a list of
>"bass
> > players I particularly enjoy listening to".
> >
> > Although- Tony Levin's on quite a few albums I own, but then again he
>pops
> > up everywhere.
> >
> > I think we are basically saying the same thing here.
> >
> > Nick
> >

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